The Need to Knows:
- The Time: 1:00 pm PT
- The Place: Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA
- Place to Watch: KHN, KONG, MSGSN, SN, ESPN+
- Place to Listen: Kraken Audio Network on KJR 93.3fm
- An Opposing Viewpoint: Belmont Skates
Know Your Enemy
While the New York Islanders hold the second Eastern Conference wildcard spot headed into Saturday’s game, they’re not any more of a serious Stanley Cup competitor now than they were after the Carolina Hurricanes eliminated them in the first round of the 2024 postseason, four games to one. Their 7-6-4 record paints a picture of a team finding success but not enough to be dominant. The Isles control 53.45% of the total five-on-five goals scored this season with the help of Ilya Sorokin’s .915 SV%, but their special teams are dreary and their struggling shooting percentage no doubt factors into their -7 goal differential on the season.
Things are looking up for the Isles this month, however. They’re 4-1-2 in November and fresh off a 5-2 win at the Vancouver Canucks that saw Kyle Palmieri seize the team lead in points (15) with his eighth in seven games. Bo Horvat and captain Anders Lee are also scoring at over a point-per-game rate this month, with 9 and 10 points respectively.
But their injuries are stacking up. Defenseman Alexander Romanov is day-to-day and “progressing,” but the Isles lineup that meets Seattle on the ice today will lack defensemen Mike Reilly and Adam Pelech, winger Anthony Duclair, and former Seattle Thunderbird center Mat Barzal. All four skaters are on the IR according to the NHL media site. Sorokin will start.
Game Preview
Injury to Kraken captain Jordan Eberle is perhaps the biggest piece of news on Seattle’s end of things as they prepare for their third back-to-back of the season. Eberle, with 11 points in 17 games so far– including two assists versus the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday– will be dearly missed on Dan Bylsma’s top line. The head coach has one simple request for his replacement, André Burakovsky: “shoot the puck.”
There’s no word on how long Eberle will be out, but Bylsma told reporters he will miss both games this weekend, against the Islanders and the New York Rangers. Although circumstances aren’t ideal, now would be the perfect time for Burakovsky to heat up. Bylsma wants the winger to improve his net-front presence in pursuit of his first goal of the season. Perhaps the increased ice time will be beneficial.
Today’s starter likely won’t be confirmed until Bylsma speaks at Climate Pledge Arena ahead of puck drop, but if it’s Joey Daccord, expect another solid outing. He’s on a three-game start streak unsurprisingly coinciding with the team’s three-game win streak. Daccord is averaging a .924 SV% and the team is averaging four goals per game in that span.